DENMARK OPEN 2022 presented by VICTOR

In few hours Anders Skaarup played in last year’s final and became a dad for the second time.

Mother and son are volunteers

For 21 years Siv Jønsson has volunteered at badminton tournaments in Denmark and for the last eight years together with her son Tobias.

Danish stars of the national team point out, who has impressed, disappointed and gotten their breakthrough in each category this year.

Who has impressed in 2022?

”Most definitely the craziest week ever”

Table of Contents

ARTICLES

Vilhelmsen, President, Badminton

Rahbæk Juel, Mayor

Chen, VICTOR

Høyer,

Odense:

President:

Q&A with Hans-Kristian Vittinghus:

has impressed this year in men’s singles?

Q&A with Julie Dawall: Who has impressed this year in women’s singles?

Q&A with Kim Astrup: Who has impressed this year in men’s doubles?

Q&A with Sara Thygesen: Who has impressed this year in women’s doubles?

Q&A with Mathias Christiansen: Who has impressed this year in mixed doubles?

New arena: - We approach the task with great modesty

Skaarup: Two minutes after standing on the podium, I was on my way to maternity ward

Mother and son are both volunteers at DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR

Winners of the biggest international tournaments in 2022

winners

Welcome to DENMARK OPEN 2022 presented by VICTOR

It is with great pleasure, pride, and excitement that I, on behalf of Badminton Danmark, hereby welcome you all to this year’s DENMARK OPEN 2022 presented by VICTOR.

For the past 13 years, the tournament has been held in Odense Sports Park with great success. But the time has come for us to develop the event. And we believe that we can do this by hosting the tournament in Jyske Bank Arena, where the tournament will be held for the next five years.

By moving the entire event to Jyske Bank Arena, we get an even better opportunity to create a world-class event for everyone involved. This applies to players, coaches, referees, volunteers, spectators, sponsors, partners, etc. All in all, we believe that the overall experience will be even more special and unique.

As an organizer, we can control how we would like the framework for running such an event to be. What we can’t control is how the game on the field turns out. But the last several years have shown that every year enchanting and fantastic badminton is played, and that every year a fantastic badminton story is written on. And I wonder if new memorable chapters will be written again this year in this amazing sport. I think so.

Now we are ready once again for the world’s second-oldest international badminton tournament, DENMARK OPEN 2022 presented by VICTOR. A big thanks for the fantastic support from and co-operation with Odense Municipality, Destination Fyn, Visit Odense, and of our main sponsor VICTOR.

A warm and heartfelt thanks to all and a great welcome to all players, coaches, managers, and officials.

Welcome to our enthusiastic audience and not least welcome to all our vital volunteers.

Tore Vilhelmsen President, Badminton Danmark

ODENSE

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Experience the vibrant and urban city. Enjoy the cozy atmosphere of the many hidden green oases. Take a bite of the dynamic local food scene. Do you fancy street food or gourmet? Take a stroll through the new city center and explore the modern art museums, street art and family friendly attractions.

Welcome to DENMARK OPEN 2022 presented by VICTOR and welcome to Odense

When the whistle sounds on the 18th of October the annual DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR finally begins. Ahead lies six days with amazing techniques and nail-biting duels. For Odense to be hosting a prestigious tournament like DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR is both a privilege and an honour. It is with open arms and great hospitality that we invite all of you back into Odense for a week of badminton.

DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR is a true celebration, but this year the tournament will start with a heartfelt goodbye. A goodbye to a cherished venue which for 13 years have served as a background for some of the greatest badminton matches in the world. This year we say goodbye to Odense Sports Park – thank you for housing the most devastating defeats and lifechanging victories since 2009.

The move to Jyske Bank Arena and the change in scenery is true evidence that the tournament has been growing – now to our biggest arena. This tournament has become an inherent part of the city, and I have no doubt, that even though the location has changed, the passion from the audience and the talent on the courts will be the same - if not even better.

Behind every successful sports star lies several years of hard and dedicated training. I dare say that all the talented badminton players here at the tournament have all started with a hopeful dream and a great deal of courage to keep going. In Denmark, we have a long tradition of playing badminton in our garden for hours on end in the summer. I think most kids imagine being a professional when throwing themselves around the grass trying to outplay their opponent with every fiber in their being.

They may dream of becoming just as good as Odense’s very own Viktor Axelsen – the greatest badminton player alive. With two world titles – one fairly new - and an Olympic gold medal, Axelsen has made sure, that badminton is on everyone’s lips in Odense and all of Denmark.

If you have a dream of becoming as good as Axelsen and the other badminton stars here at DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR, you now have the chance to see them firsthand and in action. Maybe you even get to meet them walking down the streets of Odense near your favorite attraction. The rest of us who are just really fascinated by the sport, we get to enjoy a whole week of just that. Dreams being created and dreams coming true with nail-biting duels on the edge of our seat.

I wish you all a pleasant stay here in Odense with some world-class badminton from talented players. Enjoy the everchanging city and all the hidden gems that we can offer. I hope all your expectations and dreams for this week will come true.

Peter Rahbæk Juel Mayor Odense

Enjoy the badminton week in Denmark with us

VICTOR is proud to be the official equipment partner and official presented by sponsor of DENMARK OPEN since 2017. During the past five years, we have experienced brilliant matches in Odense with all the bad minton enthusiasts.

This year, the event is moving to Jyske Bank Arena. We are looking forward to creating more fantastic me mories in this new venue with all of you.

As a badminton brand, VICTOR has been committed to the innovation and development of badminton sports for over 50 years. Together with Badminton Danmark, who nurtures great badminton teams and players, we aim to promote badminton better and stronger through the long-term partnership.

The badminton world has been gradually back on track in 2022. On behalf of VICTOR, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to BWF, Badminton Danmark, all the staff, event organizers, and volunteers for bringing DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR to the fans every year. Good luck to all the players and enjoy the badminton week in Odense!

Jeff Chen VICTOR Chairman

BWF President’s Message: Welcome to DENMARK OPEN 2022 presented by VICTOR

One of the special achievements of the DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR is that it was held even during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, when conducting events was such a challenge. This resolve to hold the event, particularly in 2020, with all safety measures in place, was a tremendous confidence-booster for the circuit, enabling the gradual return to normality that we are now experiencing.

As one of the oldest badminton tournaments, and with a knowledgeable audience, the DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR is indeed a special event. I’m sure that once again it will attract a star field, and audi ences will get to enjoy action of the very highest level.

My sincerest thanks to all the sponsors, city authorities, Badminton Danmark and volunteers for their dedication and hard work in making this event possible.

Poul-Erik Høyer BWF President

FYN

ISLAND WITH THE ISLANDS

Do you know that the beach always is only 30 minutes away? Experience the living castle Egeskov, feed giraffes in Odense ZOO and explore the new city center in Odense. Go glamping and enjoy the starry night. Do you fancy some locally produced delicacies? Or maybe exquisite drops from the wineries?

Følg fjerbolden i Fyens Stiftstidende

Vittinghus on this year’s surprise player: - He has taken a step up to join the very best

By Emma Hansen Toft

Vittinghus had no doubts about sharing his opinion on who had been this year’s very best men’s singles player. Read his answer to who has left a particularly impressive impact on the 2022 men’s singles category.

Hans-Kristian Solberg

Who has been this year’s best men’s sing les player?

- It shouldn’t come as any surprise that I have chosen Viktor Axelsen. Viktor has been in a complete class of his own. He

exerted dominance time and time again. He has lost just one match this year.

Otherwise, he has won everything else in which he has played. He has won the major tournaments and the three major

Super 1000 tournaments and is the de fending world champion and Olympic champion. He’s won almost everything in which he’s played. For Viktor, this year has been very close to the perfect year.

Who has been this year’s greatest surpri se in men’s singles?

- Lakshya Sen from India. My choice is mainly because of how he played in the first third of 2022. He started out really strong, in fact, much stronger than I had thought. He has stepped up to join the best men’s singles players. He is also the only player to have beaten Viktor this year (the semi-final at the German Open, ed). He won the India Open. He was in the finals of the German Open and the All England. He played an important role in India’s triumph at the Thomas Cup.

Who has come on the most this year in men’s singles?

- Kodai Naraoka from Japan. Currently number 24th in the world rankings, he has played in the finals at the Korea Masters, Singapore Open and Taipei Open. I feel as though he sort of just came out of thin air. We saw him pretty much for the very first time last autumn, and at that time, I certainly had no idea that he would suddenly make it into the finals of some of the biggest tournaments.

Outside the Top 20, who should we keep an eye on next year?

- It seemed obvious to choose myself,

but I chose Li Shi Feng from China. When playing, there are bursts of genius that show how he has the potential to play against the very best players in the world. We also saw him beat Anders Antonsen at the Thomas Cup. He still needs to work on being more consistent, but I think we’re seeing some play that he

has great potential for more. I imagine that he will enjoy much greater success within a year to a year and a half.

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Julie Dawall selects this year’s most prominent women’s singles players

By Emma Hansen Toft

According to Julie Dawall, the women’s singles category is filled with so many great candidates. Several players were in the mix when she was asked to select the most memorable players of 2022. Below you can find out who in particular made the mix.

Who has been this year’s best player?

- Chen Yu Fei from China. She has won some tournaments, but I select her mo stly because she is very consistent and makes it to the finals pretty much every chance she has. These results show that

she is clearly one of the best. Even if she doesn’t win, she is still at the very top.

Who has been this year’s greatest surprise?

- When Korea managed to beat China in the Uber Cup final, where Sim Yu Jin of

Korea triumphed against Wang Zhi Yi of China in the fifth game, the fact that a player from Korea, Sim Yu Jin, managed to win the last match was a surprise. It was also great for a country other than China to win for once.

Who has been this year’s greatest disap pointment?

- Nozomi Okuhara from Japan. She has been dealing with some injuries, which means she has had to drop out a few times. She hasn’t performed to her typi cal standard in the tournaments in which

she has participated. She is usually one of the players who can make it far in the big tournaments. She has previously won the World Championships but has not had the same success this year. There may also have been others in the mix, but more was expected of her.

Who has come on the most this year?

- Han Yue from China. She has started to perform at a higher level. She’s star ting to pose a real challenge to her op ponents, sometimes even beating them. In terms of results, she has managed to impress a lot. I met her once at the World Junior Championships, but this season she has really raised her game and improved, beating good players. She is more consistently progressing from the first round.

Outside the Top 20, who should we keep an eye on in the future?

- Wen Chi Hsu from Chinese Taipei. I had the chance to meet her in Wales last season, after which she beat several of the Danish women’s singles players in various tournaments. After that moment, I began thinking about who she is as a player, and since then, she has really begun delivering a much higher level of play. She is moving higher and higher up the world rankings.

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Top dog and top flop in the 2022 men’s doubles category according to Kim Astrup

By Emma Hansen Toft

In 2022, for the first time ever, a men’s doubles pair from Malaysia won the World Championship, whereas the world’s number one ranked players hasn’t won a single tournament. Read Kim Astrup’s opinions on who has surprised and who has disappointed in the men’s doubles this year.

Who has been this year’s best pair?

- Fajar Alfian and Muhammed Rian Ardianto from Indonesia. They have im pressed, been on form and consistent. I also think that if the world rankings hadn’t been frozen, they would have been number one. They have always been a great pair and have consistently beaten top-ranked pairs. It seems as though they have really begun to find their foo

ting, and they won several times in a row against the top-ranked pairs.

Who has been this year’s greatest surprise?

- Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik from Malaysia. In my opinion, it has to be the same pair that is this year’s greatest sur prise and the pair that has come on the most. Their World Championships gold marked their breakthrough onto the sce

ne and their first major title together, so this timing was perfect. What’s more, it’s also the first time Malaysia has won a gold medal at a world championship, so that’s an added bonus.

Who has been this year’s greatest disap pointment?

- Marcus Gideon and Kevin Sukamuljo from Indonesia. Neither of them has

performed as they wanted or as others expected them. They had a particularly tough time figuring out how to handle things when things weren’t quite going their way. They’re definitely going th rough a tough period at the moment. They have had a series of poor results and have also lost several games, which they otherwise wouldn’t usually lose. On top of that, Marcus has just had a foot operation, so that doesn’t exactly make the situation any easier. This surgery is largely to blame for their poor perfor mances.

Outside the Top 20, who should we keep an eye on next year?

- Choi Sol Gyu and Kim Won Ho from Korea. I think they deserve to be given a little extra attention. They play very well as a pair and are generally challenging to beat. So, they are well worth highlighting. They are sure of themselves and are dif ficult to score points against, meaning that they can also really get under the skin of many of their opponents. When playing men’s doubles, they are definitely worth watching.

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- They have a touch of x-factor, which is new and exciting

By Ronni Burkal Elkjær

Sara Thygesen has taken a look at the 2022 women’s doubles category and shared her opinions on who has impressed, who has disappointed, and who has had a breakthrough so far this year.

Who has been this year’s best pair?

- I would have to choose the Japanese pair Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida because I think their performances have really come on this year despite being slightly behind. That being said, they have been able to deliver every time they have played a tournament. Admittedly, they haven’t been able to wipe the tournament completely clean, but it’s impressive how

they have just waited quietly and readily in the shadows of the Japanese camp, not to mention the fact they also won the two Super 1000 tournaments this yearAll England and Indonesia Open.

- As a pair, they are part of the slightly more modern Japanese style of play, which involves attacking a little more. I think that’s great.

Who has been this year’s greatest surprise?

- I have been thinking a lot about Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gobichand Pullela from India. At the All England, they suddenly burst into action and managed to reach the semi-finals after knocking out the Olympic gold winners Polii and Rahayu. Admittedly, they haven’t won that much, but they have a touch of x-factor with their aggressive approach when jumping

and hitting. It’s great, new, and very excit ing, and it’s certainly worth noting.

Who has been this year’s greatest disap pointment?

- My answer would have to be the Japanese pair Yuki Fukushima and Sayaka Hirota. I find they still haven’t quite been able to get back to their peak

level after Hirota’s long-term injury. They are well on their way to making a come back yet are still not at the level they were in 2021 when they were ranked number one in the world.

Who has had their breakthrough?

- It has to be Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Ramadhanti from Indonesia. Indeed,

Rahayu has already had her breakth rough and won Olympic gold last year, but since her partner, Greysia Polii deci ded to end her career, Rahayu has been paired up with Ramadhanti.

- I think it’s fair to call it a breakthrough since they have delivered as a new pair right from the very first day. In many of the tournaments they have entered, they have managed to make it to the semi-fi nals. This year, they have won the Super 750 tournament Malaysia Open and the Super 500 tournament Singapore Open. So, they have really made an impressive start.

Outside the Top 20, who should we keep an eye on in the future?

- Once again, I would have to say Rahayu and Ramadhanti, probably. Even though they have only played a few tournaments together, they have already managed to make it into the Top 40 in the world. For this reason, there is no reason to doubt that they will move into the Top 20 very soon, and likely even higher.

Follow

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- They stand out and are almost unbeatable

By Ronni Burkal Elkjær

Mathias Christiansen thinks the Olympic gold winners are the greatest disappointment in the mixed doubles category in 2022.

Who is this year’s best pair?

It’s not really difficult to choose sin ce the Chinese pair Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong have won seven tour naments in a row - including the World Championships. They started off with a bit of a rough start to the year, where they changed partners after losing in the Olympics and after being eliminated in the very first round of the WC last year. But now they have found their footing

again and are performing as well as they did before. They seem almost unbeata ble. They stand out amongst the others and always run with the title every time.

It’s very, very hard to beat them.

Who has been this year’s greatest surprise? - I want to mention two pairs. The first is Terry Hee and Jessica Tan from Singapore, both of whom won the India Open and the Commonwealth Games

this year. It’s funny when I think about se eing them at the World Tour four or five years ago. They didn’t really win anything. So, for several years I didn’t take note of them as a doubles pair, but after Covid-19, they began delivering great results. Terry works wonders with the racquet and has always been able to hit insane shots without them making a big deal out of them. Now it seems that things are be ginning to work out for them.

- The other pair is Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue from France. Admittedly, they may not be a very big surprise, as they have performed well in recent years, but I think it’s impressive how they can consistently deliver. I consider them the fifth-best pair in the world. If you ask me, that is really quite an achievement for a young French mixed doubles pair where both are just 23 years old.

Who has been this year’s greatest disap pointment?

- It has to be Wang Yilyu and Huang Dongping from China. They won the Olympics, so people thought it was their turn. But apart from a single Super 300 title in the Korea Masters, they haven’t taken a title since the Olympics. For this reason, in my opinion, they have to take

the title of this year’s greatest disappoint ment compared to what had been expe cted of them. Otherwise, I would point to the English players Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith, who have struggled quite a bit to find their usual level and had a tough start to the year. They haven’t ma naged to deliver any impressive results at all.

Who has had their breakthrough?

- I think I’d like to choose Thailand’s second best pair, Supak Jomkoh and Supissara Paewsampran. They are per forming better and better, and I expect them to make a sizeable leap up the rankings when it’s unfrozen again. They are both very aggressive and uncompro mising in their style of play. Supak plays extremely fast. He hits hard and is not

-

afraid to play across the court. This ap proach also leads to them occasionally making mistakes, but I am certain we will see much more of them soon.

There is likewise two Malaysian guys Hoo Pang Ron and Chen Tang Jie. They tend to switch around between different pairings, so I don’t know whom they’re going to play with, but they both have an extremely fast and aggressive approach to play.

Outside the Top 20, who should we keep an eye on in the future?

- Once again, I would have to choose Terry Hee and Jessica Tan because they have delivered good results and will soon take their next giant step up.

- We approach the task with great modesty

The DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR will be held in Jyske Bank Arena in Odense between 2022-2026. The event manager at Odense Sport and Event is looking forward to flinging open the doors and putting on a top-class tournament.

By Ronni Burkal Elkjær

After being held at the Odense Sports Park for 13 years, as of 2022, the Jyske Bank Arena will form the new setting for DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR.

The world’s second oldest badminton tournament will be staged here for the following five years. Morten Ihlow is happy about the new location. He is the event manager at Odense Sport and Event, which owns Jyske Bank Arena, amongst others.

- We are incredibly proud to have been given this task, and we have approached the task with great modesty. We are par ticularly focused on ensuring guests en joy an even better experience, including the organisational staff, the athletes, and the spectators. The way to do this is to work together, says Ihlow.

Jyske Bank Arena has plenty of experien ce with staging large events. Concerts, expos, and shows are often held in

the multi-arena. Also, compared to the Odense Sports Park, there is room for 50 per cent more spectators, creating a good framework for an increasingly popular DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR.

- I think the combination of a unique set ting and larger and larger events means that we can offer a venue that has room for up to 1800 cars just outside the door, as well as a venue that has been expan

ded to make room for even more guests. In addition, we have exhibition areas for sponsors, and areas designed especially for catering, dining and VIP guests, says the event manager at Odense Sport and Event.

The tournament was also held in the are na in 2007 and 2008, but this was before Morten Ihlow got involved. He is now loo king forward to being part of the team re sponsible for running the event together with Badminton Danmark, Destination Fyn and Odense Municipality.

- I have been looking forward to opening the doors. With our collaborative part ners, we are looking forward to making a difference and delivering a truly topclass Denmark Open event. We live and breathe to make a difference and bring people together.

- Two minutes after standing on the podium, I was on my way to the maternity ward

By Ronni Burkal Elkjær

The Danish men’s doubles player Anders Skaarup had originally opted out of the 2021 Denmark Open final, but his heavily pregnant wife persuaded him to play.

HC Andersen would have even found it difficult to write a better fairy tale than the one that manifested last year during the Denmark Open in Odense.

- In fact, it’s really an insane story. We needed a miracle, and that’s exactly what we got, says Anders Skaarup as he thinks back to the event.

Already at the time when last year’s tour nament in Denmark was about to begin, his pregnant wife was past her due date. There was no way he wanted to miss the birth of his second child, so he had deci ded it would be just a short visit to the city on Funen.

He didn’t think it would be possible to both play in Sunday’s final and witness his wife giving birth within just a few hou rs of each other.

- It was most definitely the craziest week ever for me, says Skaarup.

Father-in-law and friend were on standby with a car

The plan was set and coordinated with national coaches and his sports ma nager. If he got a call from his wife, he would pack his bag and drive immedia tely to the maternity ward.

That is also how it was when he took part in the Thomas Cup – World Championships for the men’s team – in Aarhus the week before. The phone was never out of reach right up until it was time to warm up for the matches. Then the phone was packed away, and the focus was on badminton.

His wife also had the numbers of former national coach Jakob Høi and sports ma nager Jens Meibom in case she needed to get hold of someone in the meantime.

- The Denmark Open will always come again. But I don’t think I will have any more children, so for someone in a re lationship, it is such an important and exciting experience to have a child that I would have found it very difficult to gam ble with whether or not I could make the birth, explains the 33-year-old Skaarup.

From the very start of the tournament, the plan was that either his father-in-law or a good friend would be on standby with a car in case he needed to leave in a hurry. Thoughts started focusing on the first rounds of play since he and his partner Kim Astrup had never managed to reach a quarter-final at the home tour nament. This circumstance was all about to change.

More fun to be on the court than usual Astrup and Skaarup set out in the tour nament by comfortably beating fellow compatriots Daniel Lundgaard and Mathias Thyrri. Likewise, in the se cond round, the Indonesian opponents Pramudya Kusumawardana and Yeremia Rambitan were beaten in straight games. In terms of the draw, Astrup and Skaarup also missed out on playing against wor ld elite Kevin Sukamuljo and Marcus Gideon, who had been eliminated.

- The tournament started off fantastically for us. I don’t think we’ve played so well at the Denmark Open before. Our match in the second round was a sign of just how well we had played.

Skaarup and Astrup had a unique chance to go far. But Skaarup almost didn’t dare think about how long they could keep playing before he got a call.

- We couldn’t let go of the handbrake because we didn’t dare to dream big compared to our level of play that week, says the men’s doubles player.

He was in constant limbo. A happy form of limbo, admittedly. Since he was so looking forward to playing and his wife giving birth, he just couldn’t believe he could have both.

Every day felt like being on borrowed time, so standing on the court felt even more fun than usual.

- As the week progressed, I started loo king more and more forward to playing in the matches. But I was also insane ly looking forward to having a child. So no matter what happened on the day, it would be fine with me.

I felt moved after the semi-final There was dancing and hugging when Astrup and Skaarup won the quarter-fi nal against Muhammad Shohibul Fikri and Bagas Maulana in three close sets.

Skaarup also sent his wife a sign at home. He put his thumb in his mouth whilst cheering as a sign of what would come shortly.

All the while Astrup and Skaarup kept getting one step closer to victory, the situation at home remained stable and uneventful. The birth was still yet to hap pen.

Throughout the week, Skaarup kept con tinuous contact with his wife. That way, he could give fair and accurate updates to Kim Astrup and Jakob Høi. They had to know what was going on, so they knew how Skaarup’s state of mind was, so they, at least on the court, could do their best to help him perform as well as pos sible under the special circumstances.

- There are many excuses for not per forming well. Both for myself, but the fact that my head wasn’t quite where it should’ve been, was also a huge burden to place on Kim. When we did what we had achieved together, it all became very intense and struck me after the semi-fi nal.

The euphoric celebration after the qu arter-final stood in great contrast to

after the semi-final. An intense, ner ve-wracking match, where momentum and impulse flew continually back and forth across the net, and ultimately concluded with a Danish victory after three sets against Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzuddin from Malaysia.

Anders Skaarup celebrated his place in the final in a unique way by sitting down as still as a stone.

- I felt enormously moved. I was also completely done at that point. There were many times in the match where we were close to winning, but then we ended up playing a third set. There is also the aspect of playing on home turf, surroun ded by people cheering you on. It was fantastic. I think I gave a strong perfor mance, but so did Kim and our team.

It was hard to believe for Skaarup. An intense week had resulted in a final - his first Denmark Open final in his career.

Opted out of the final

Last year’s Denmark Open took place in side a “corona bubble”. This detail meant that masks were worn, and players and spectators were not allowed to stay in the same areas.

Despite this, Anders Skaarup was given special permission to leave the bubb le after his semi-final performance on Saturday, provided he got tested when he reentered the bubble. It got close to this not even being necessary.

Sunday morning at six o’clock, Skaarup had to call his neighbour. His wife was about to give birth, and the neighbour had to look after their eldest boy, Bo, in the meantime.

When they arrived at the maternity ward, Skaarup wrote to Astrup and Høi that the birth was in progress and, as a result, he wouldn’t be able to play in the final.

Nevertheless, Skaarup’s wife was still not quite ready to give birth. One of the midwives had explained that many hou rs could pass. This fact did not affect Skaarup’s decision to pull out of the final. He was still ready to stay by his wife’s side.

But his wife thought that he ought to take advantage of the wait.

- My wife sent me on my way again, say ing, ’get driving and don’t pull out of the tournament. Let us at least see how far you get. Maybe you’ll reach Ringsted

or Nyborg or all the way to Odense and have time to warm up. I’ll call if there is anything’, recollects Skaarup.

After that, he let Astrup and Høi know he was planning to give the final a chance. His wife didn’t call on the journey over there, so Skaarup could still step onto the court for the final in the middle of the afternoon. Despite playing fantastically throughout the week, there was nothing to be done in the final against Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi, who won in straight sets.

- At that point, I really had nothing left to give. It was difficult to give 110 per cent when I knew it was no longer a matter of days but hours before my wife would give birth. Having said that, we were up against a pair that was on top form, and we would have needed to give an over performance if we were to have been able to win.

It all came together in the end A friend was already ready with the car after the final, but first, Skaarup had to take an official trip up to the podium, re ceive the trophy and have his pictures taken. Only then could he rush off to the maternity ward again.

- Literally, two minutes after standing on the podium, I was in the car and off to the maternity ward. I barely had time to thank Astrup and Høi for the great week, and I would have liked to have finished off the tournament at dinner with everyone and done some evaluating. But a split second meant that I found myself in a completely new situation.

At 5 pm, Skaarup arrived at the maternity ward and met his wife, who had done pretty much everything in her power to hold off the birth until her husband was by her side again. At around 8.30 pm, the highlight of the very intense week finally happened. Eik was born.

- It was such a surreal feeling to wake up the next morning knowing that we were suddenly four people in the house. It’s a funny story for us as a family, and we feel fortunate that nothing went wrong during the birth. My in-laws also took on a huge load by staying at home with my wife and looking after my second son. A lot was going on around me, and all I was expected to do was play badminton. Not often everything comes together, but I felt it did this time.

Mother and son are volunteers: - I feel that I am part of something bigger and that I am helping to make a big difference

Siv and Tobias Jønsson, who have been volunteers for Badminton Danmark for several years, have enjoyed a number of great experiences, a special sense of community and, not least, hours and hours of quality time together. Read below to get an insight into what it’s like to be a volunteer and what experiences you can expect.

By Ida Marie Sørensen

Siv Jønsson loves badminton, and this passion for the sport has been a decisive reason behind the fact that she has volun teered for Badminton Danmark since 1991.

- I think being involved in badminton is fantastic, says 52-year-old Siv.

In 2014, Siv brought her son Tobias Jønsson onto the badminton scene. Ever since, the two of them have volun teered at innumerable badminton events across Denmark, which have given them tons of great memories on which to look back. The Thomas & Uber Cup, which took place in Aarhus in October 2021, is an event which sticks out, particularly in their minds.

- The greatest experience I have had as a volunteer was the Thomas & Uber Cup last year because there were so many great moments at that particular tour nament. I remember clearly how we were cheering for Tahiti when they managed to win a match, laughing with the world elite from India, gently asking Busanan Ongbamrungphan from Thailand how to pronounce her name, and being pra ised by the International TV Feed’s floor manager, commented Siv. Siv, who was part of the match control team during the World Team Championships in 2021.

Son Tobias also looks back at the cham pionship with fond memories.

- The greatest experience I’ve had so far was definitely the Thomas & Uber Cup in Aarhus last year. The setup was phen omenal, and the atmosphere was just top-notch for the entire week. It’s also crazy to think about how many millions of people worldwide would have been following the championship, too, says 21-year-old Tobias.

A special sense of community and support Siv has been a volunteer for Badminton Danmark for so many years and indeed continues to volunteer because of the sense of community she gets.

- As tired as I may feel on a Monday mor ning after a big event, I am equally on a high because of the great sense of com munity that volunteer work gives you. I feel that I am part of something bigger and that I am helping to make a big dif ference, says Siv.

It is not only the sense of community in which Siv sees value. Liv also values the support she and the other volunteers re ceive from Badminton Danmark.

- I love volunteering at Badminton Danmark. I love it because it’s fun to be involved in the goings-on behind the scenes, and it’s great to be at an event where everyone lends support to each other. It is a key source of motivation for us that Badminton Danmark doesn’t shut itself off from the volunteers but rather makes us feel as though we are part of something bigger, and that makes you feel very valued, says Siv as she praises Badminton Danmark.

A unique experience every time

- My drive to help out at events, again and again, is that I know that every event will offer a great new experience, says Tobias Jønsson, who has volunteered at several different events. Everything from the World Team Championships and DENMARK OPEN presented by VICTOR to the Danish Junior Badminton Championships and VICTOR DENMARK MASTERS.

For Tobias, there is also great motivati on in helping to ensure that events run smoothly.

- What makes me get up in the mornings for events is that I think it’s a great fee ling to be part of a team that works to gether to make sure an event goes as planned. I’m always happy and satisfied when an event is a proven success. Then can I enjoy the fact that the world’s very top badminton players are actually stan ding and playing badminton right in front of me, says Tobias.

When Tobias is out and about at various tournaments, he usually arrives a few days before the tournament to start to help with the setup. During champions hips like the Thomas & Uber Cup, he sits next to his mother, Siv. In particular, Siv enjoys the many joys such events give her and her son.

- It’s lovely getting to spend so many hours with my son.

Winners of the biggest international tournaments in 2022

January: India Open (Super 500)

• MS: Lakshya Sen

• WS: Busanan Ongbamrungphan

• MD: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/ Chirag Shetty

• WD: Benyapa Aimsaard/ Nuuntakarn Aimsaard

• XD: Terry Hee/Tan Wei Han

Syed Modi (Super 300)

• MS: No match

• WS: Pusarla V. Sindhu

• MD: Man Wei Chong/ Tee Kai Wun

• WD: Anna Cheong/ Teoh Mei Xing

• XD: Ishaan Bhatnagar/T. Crasto

March: German Open (Super 300)

• MS: Kunlavut Vitidsarn

• WS: He Bingjiao

• MD: Goh Sze Fei/Nur Izzuddin

• WD: Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan

• XD: Dechapol Puavaranukroh/ Sapsiree Taerattanachai

All England (Super 1000)

• MS: Viktor Axelsen

• WS: Akane Yamaguchi

• MD: Muhammad Fikri/ Bagas Maulana

• WD: N. Matsuyama/C. Shida

• XD: Yuta Watanabe/ Arisa Higashino

Swiss Open (Super 300)

• MS: Jonatan Christie

• WS: Pusarla V. Sindhu

• MD: Fajar Alfian/ Muhammad Ardianto

• WD: Gabriela Stoeva/ Stefani Stoeva

• XD: Mark Lamsfuss/ Isabel Lohau

April: Korea Open (Super 500)

• MS: Weng Hongyang

• WS: An Se-young

• MD: Kang Min-hyuk/ Seo Seung-jae

• WD: Jeong Na-eun/ Kim Hye-jeong

• XD: Tan Kian Meng/Lai Pei Jing

Korea Masters (Super 300)

• MS: Jeon Hyeok-jin

• WS: He Bingjiao

• MD: Kim Gi-jung/Kim Sa-rang

• WD: Kim So-yeong/ Kong Hee-yong

• XD: Wang Yilyu/H. Dongping

May: Thailand Open (Super 500)

• MS: Lee Zii Jia

• WS: Tai Tzu Ying

• MD: Takuro Hoki/Y. Kobayashi

• WD: N. Matsuyama/C. Shida

• XD: Zheng Siwei/ Huang Yaqiong

June: Indonesia Masters (Super 500)

• MS: Viktor Axelsen

• WS: Chen Yufei

• MD: Fajar Alfian/ Muhammad Ardianto

• WD: Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan

• XD: Zheng Siwei/ Huang Yaqiong

Indonesia Open (Super 1000)

• MS: Viktor Axelsen

• WS: Tai Tzu Ying

• MD: Liu Yuchen/Ou Xuanyi

• WD: N. Matsuyama/C. Shida

• XD: Zheng Siwei/ Huang Yaqiong

Malaysia Open (Super 750)

• MS: Viktor Axelsen

• WS: Ratchanok Intanon

• MD: Takuro Hoki/Y. Kobayashi

• WD: Apriyani Rahayu/ Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti

• XD: Zheng Siwei/ Huang Yaqiong

July: Malaysia Masters (Super 500)

• MS: Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo

• WS: An Se-young

• MD: Fajar Alfian/ Muhammad Ardianto

• WD: Chen Qingchen/Jia Yifan

• XD: Zheng Siwei/ Huang Yaqiong

Singapore Open (Super 500)

• MS: Anthony Ginting

• WS: Pusarla V. Sindhu

• MD: Leo Rolly Carnando/ Daniel Marthin

• WD: Apriyani Rahayu/ Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti

• XD: Dechapol Puavaranukroh/ Sapsiree Taerattanachai

Taipei Open (Super 300)

• MS: Chou Tien Chen

• WS: Tai Tzu Ying

• MD: Man Wei Chong/ Tee Kai Wun

• WD: Ng Tsz Yau/Tsang Hiu Yan

• XD: Lee Chun Hei/Ng Tsz Yau

August: Japan Open (Super 750)

• MS: Kenta Nishimoto

• WS: Akane Yamaguchi

• MD: Liang Wei Keng/ Wang Chang

• WD: Jeong Na Eun/ Kim Hye Jeong

• XD: Dechapol Puavaranukroh/ Sapsiree Taerattanachai

All England (Super 1000)

Swiss Open (Super 300)

German Open (Super 300)

Japan Open (Super 750)

Korea Open (Super 500) Korea Masters (Super 300)

Taipei Open (Super 300)

Thailand Open (Super 500)

India Open (Super 500)

Syed Modi (Super 300)

Malaysia Open (Super 750) Malaysia Masters (Super 500)

Singapore Open (Super 500)

Indonesia Open (Super 1000)

Indonesia Masters (Super 500)

FAIRPLAY I BADMINTON

Badminton Danmark og DGI Badminton er klar med vores syn på Fair Play. Det vil I støde ind i og stifte bekendtskab med i hallerne, i den kommende tid til de større mesterskaber.

Målet og det primære fokus er at hjælpe til at børn og forbilleder efterleve de rammer og regler, der er sat i badminton og opføre sig fair især i turneringsaktivitetssammenhæng.

Badminton er en enestående sportsgren, da langt de fleste badmin tonkampe afvikles, hvor spillerne selv dømmer kampene. Det stiller store krav til badmintonspillernes opførsel og evne til at dømme og opføre sig fair.

Badminton Danmark og DGI Badminton går ind for FAIRPLAY, da det danner fundamentet for, at det er sjovt at konkurrere, giver masser af gode oplevelser og, at der er plads til alle.

Vidste du,...

At det kun er en dommer, der kan dømme ”fejl”. Du kan ikke dømme, at modstanderen ramte nettet med ketsjeren, eller lavede overhåndsserv el.lign. Du skal altid spille en duel færdig, og duellen afgøres altid ved, at bolden dømmes inde eller ude eller ikke kommer over nettet.

At være FAIR handler om at opføre sig ordentligt, ærligt og retfær digt, samt ikke virke stødende med sin adfærd, både i forhold til dem, der spilles med og imod.

• FAIRPLAY er at overholde reglerne og respektere sin modstander og handle på en måde, der sikrer retfærdighed og en god afvikling af konkurrencesituationen.

• FAIRPLAY er at være ærlig og retfærdig, også selvom det ikke er til ens egen fordel. Det betyder, at du skal være villig til at ofre din egen succes til fordel for et retfærdigt udfald.

• FAIRPLAY handler om spillet på banen, men også om, hvad der sker udenfor stregerne på tilskuerpladserne, så det gælder både spillere, trænere og forældre.

Gensidig respekt og FAIR PLAY overfor hinanden giver de bedste

At du som forbillede altid kan stoppe dit eget barn i at fort sætte en kamp og trække dit barn ud, hvis dit barn er gået over stregen for FAIRPLAY.

At du altid kan henvende dig ved hallens dommerbord, hvis du som forbillede oplever en meget problemfyldt kamp, som du ikke føler, spillerne selv kan håndtere. Dommerbordet kan tage stilling til, om det vil hjælpe med en neutral observatør (som afgør uenigheder) resten af kampen.

At en badmintonkamp starter, når spillerne er trådt ind på baneområdet, og slutter når de er trådt ud. Spillerne må IKKE forlade banen, før kampen er spillet fær dig.

Ingen må gå på banen, heller ikke forbilleder med vanddunk eller et sidste godt råd, når spillerne er gået på banen.

FORMER WINNERS

You can see all the previous winners since 1935 on denmarkopen.dk

2021 – Odense US$ 850.000,-

MS: Viktor Axelsen, Denmark

WS: Akane Yamaguchi, Japan MD: Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kobayashi, Japan

WD: Huang Dongping/Zheng Yu, China XD: Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino, Japan

2020 – Odense US$ 750.000,-

MS: Anders Antonsen, Denmark

WS: Nozomi Okuhara, Japan

MD: Marcus Ellis/Chris Langridge, England

WD: Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota, Japan XD: Mark Lamsfuss/Isabel Herttrich, Germany

2019 – Odense US$ 775.000,-

MS: Kento Momota, Japan

WS: Tzu Ying Tai, Chinese Taipei

MD: Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, Indonesia

WD: Baek Ha Na/Jung Kyung Eun, Korea XD: Praveen Jordan/Melati Daeva Oktavianti, Indonesia

2018 – Odense US$ 775.000,-

MS: Kento Momota, Japan

WS: Tzu Ying Tai, Chinese Taipei MD: Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, Indonesia

WD: Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota, Japan XD: Siwei Zheng/Yaqiong Huang, China

2017 – Odense US$ 750.000,-

MS: Kidambi Srikanth, India WS: Ratchanok Intanon, Thailand

MD: Liu Cheng/Zhang Nan, China

WD: Lee So Hee/Shin Seung Chan, Korea XD: Tang Chun Man/Tse Ying Suet, Hong Kong

2016 – Odense US$ 700.000,-

MS: Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk, Thailand

WS: Akane Yamaguchi, Japan MD: Shem V Goh/Kiong Wee Tan, Malaysia

WD: Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi, Japan XD: Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Christinna Pedersen, Denmark

2015 – Odense US$ 650.000,-

MS: Chen Long, China WS: Li Xuerui, China MD: Lee Yong Dae/Yoo Yeon Seong, Korea WD: Jung Kyung Eun/Shin Seung Chan, Korea XD: Ko Sung Hyun/Kim Ha Na, Korea

2014 – Odense US$ 600.000,-

MS: Chen Long, China WS: Li Xuerui,China MD: Haifeng Fu/Nan Zhang, China WD: Xiaoli Wang/Yang Yu, China XD: Chen Xu/Jin Ma, China

2013 – Odense US$ 400.000,-

MS: Chen Long, China WS: Yihan Wang, China MD: Yong Dae Lee/Yeon Seong Yoo, Korea WD: Yixin Bao/Jinhua Tang, China XD: Nan Zhang/Yunlei Zhao, China

2012 – Odense US$ 400.000,-

MS: Chong Wei Lee, Malaysia WS: Saina Nehwal, India MD: Baek Choel Shin/Yeon Seong Yoo, Korea WD: Jin Ma/Jihua Tang, China XD: Chen Xu/Jin Ma, China

2011 – Odense US$ 400.000,-

MS: Chen Long, China

WS: Xin Wang, China

MD: Jae Sung Jung/Yong Dae Lee, Korea

WD: Xiaoli Wang/Yang (F) Yu, China

XD: Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Christinna Pedersen, Denmark

2010 – Odense US$ 200.000,-

MS: Jan Ø. Jørgensen, Denmark

WS: Wang Yihan, China

MD: Mathias Boe/Carsten Mogensen, Denmark

WD: Miyuku Maeda/Satoko Suetsuna, Japan XD: Thomas Laybourn/Kamilla Rytter Juhl, Denmark

2009 – Odense US$ 200.000,-

MS: Simon Santoso, Indonesia

WS: Tine Rasmussen, Denmark

MD: Kien Keat Koo/Boon Heong Tan, Malaysia

WD: Pan Pan/Zhang Yawen, China

XD: Joachim Fischer Nielsen, Christinna Pedersen, Denmark

2008 – Odense US$ 200.000,-

MS: Peter Høeg Gade, Denmark

WS: Wang Lin, China

MD: Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan, Indonesia

WD: Eei Hui Chin/Pei Tty Wong, Malaysia

XD: Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Christinna Pedersen, Denmark

2007 – Odense

MS: Lin Dan, China WS: Lu Lan, China MD: Kien Keat Koo/Boon Heong Tan, Malaysia

WD: Wei Yang/Jiewen Zhang, China XD: Hanbin He/Yang Yu, China

2006 – Aarhus

MS: Chen Hong, China WS: Jiang Yanjiao, China

MD: Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen, Denmark WD: Kamila Augustyn/Nadiezda Kostiuczyk, Poland XD: Anthony Clark/Donna Kellogg, England

2005 – Aarhus

MS: Chong Wei Lee, Malaysia

WS: Pi Hongyan, France MD: Chong Ming Chan/Kien Keat Koo, Malaysia WD: Kumiko Ogura/Reiko Shiota, Japan XD: Thomas Laybourn/Kamilla R. Juhl, Denmark

2004 – Aarhus

MS: Lin Dan, China

WS: Xie Xingfang, China

MD: Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen, Denmark

WD: Wie Yilli/Zhao Tingting, China

XD: Chen Qiqiu/Zhao Tingting, China

2003 – Aarhus

MS: Lin Dan, China WS: Gong Ruina, China

MD: Ha Tae Kwon/Kim Dong Moon, Korea

WD: Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen,China

XD: Kim Dong Moon/Ra Kyung Min, Korea

2002 – Farum MS: Chen Hong, China WS: Camilla Martin, Denmark MD: Kim Dong Moon/Ha Tae Kwon, Korea

WD: Wei Yilli/Zhao Tingting, China XD: Kim Dong Moon/Hwang Yu Mi, Korea

2001 – Farum

MS: Bao Chunlai, China WS: Camilla Martin, Denmark MD: Martin Lundgaard Hansen/Lars Paaske, Denmark

WD: Helene Kirkegaard/Rikke Olsen, Denmark

XD: Tri Kush Aryanto/Emma Ermawati, Indonesia

2000 – Farum MS: Peter Gade, Denmark WS: Zhou Mi, China MD: Eng Hian/Flandy Limpele, Indonesia

WD: Lin Chen/Xuelian Jiang, China XD: Michael Søgaard/Rikke Olsen, Denmark

1999 – Vejle

MS: Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen, Denmark

WS: Camilla Martin, Denmark MD: Martin Lundgaard Hansen/Lars Paaske, Denmark

WD: Qin Yiyuan/Gao Ling, China XD: Liu Yong/Ge Fei, China

1998 – Vejle

MS: Peter Gade, Denmark

WS: Camilla Martin, Denmark MD: Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky, Indonesia

WD: Qin Yiyan/Tang Hetian, China

XD: Jon Holst-Christensen/Ann Jørgensen, Denmark

1997 – Vejle

MS: Dong Jiong, China WS: Camilla Martin, Denmark

MD: Jon Holst-Christensen/Michael Søgaard, Denmark

WD: Ann Jørgensen/Majken Vange, Denmark

XD: Jens Eriksen/Marlene Thomsen, Denmark

Scan to see all winners from 1936 and forward.

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